Herbert Shakes Kumasi – Daily Guide 13 May 2015

Traffic flow in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital, was seriously interrupted on Saturday morning following the 2015 edition of the May 9 Walk which was staged in the boisterous city. Former Kumasi Asante Kotoko CEO, Herbert Mensah, led thousands of people onto the streets in remembrance of the 126 souls that perished at the Accra Sports Stadium in 2001.

The calamity, which had never been experienced in the history of Ghana sports, happened when the two glamorous clubs in the country, Hearts and Kotoko, clashed in a league match. Since that unfortunate incident 14 years ago, Herbert Mensah had singlehandedly organised a walk every year in remembrance of the departed soccer fans in Kumasi and Accra.

The former Kotoko chief usually used the occasion to also donate an assortment of food items and drinks as well as cash to the families of the deceased, and this year was no exception.

This year’s walk was by far the biggest and most successful May 9 Walk in terms of patronage. The large number of participants the walk attracted on Saturday was attributed to the fact that Herbert Mensah, who is widely respected and loved by the people of Kumasi, was in town.

News about Herbert Mensah leading the May 9 Walk in the city spread like wild fire, thereby resulting in thousands of people rushing to take part in the historic walk. Virtually all the principal streets of Kumasi were choked with people who followed Herbert Mensah, Kotoko MD Opoku Nti, Sometimer Otuo Acheampong and King Edward among other top dignitaries, during the walk.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE SPORTS, Herbert Mensah vowed to stage the walk every year to honour the departed 126 souls and also create awareness about the need for soccer fans to behave well during games at the stadia. He showered tons of praises on several organizations including DAILY GUIDE, Interplast, Inesfly Africa, JM, Melcom, Voltic, Printex, Sunda International, Latex Foam and Angel fm, for supporting the walk.